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Hyderabad: A case has been registered against 13 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers for vandalising the Karimnagar camp office of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Gangula Kamalakar on Thursday, May 7, over derogatory remarks by BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy.

The confrontation stems from Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s demand that BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) undergo a drug test. Kaushik Reddy fired back, challenging Bandi Sanjay to present himself for the test instead, and alleged that the BJP leader had lost his hair due to side effects of consuming drug-laced tobacco products.

This enraged BJP workers, who stormed Gangula Kamalakar’s camp office, smashing the window glass of vehicles parked on the premises with sticks and causing damage to the property. Police rushed to the spot and dispersed the BJP workers before the situation could escalate further.

The BJP workers have been booked under sections 189 (unlawful assembly) 191(3) (rioting) 329(4) (criminal trespass) 324(4) (mischief) 292 (public nuisance) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) read with Section 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita—as well as Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (PDPP) Act.

Drug use allegations have dominated headlines since a police raid at a Moinabad farmhouse earlier this year, during which a sitting Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP and a former BRS MLA, Pilot Rohit Reddy, reportedly tested positive for narcotics, setting off a chain of accusations across party lines.

Kaushik Reddy calls attack ‘plot to murder’

The attack drew severe condemnation from the BRS party, including KTR and Harish Rao, who questioned the state of law and order in Telangana.

“Entering the camp office in broad daylight like a pack of wild dogs and destroying vehicles and the office is an utterly despicable act. It’s a disgrace that the police are standing by as mere spectators, watching the commotion unfold right before their eyes.” KTR stated in a post on X.

He accused Bandi Sanjay of acting as a “B-team for CM Revanth” and resorting to “thuggish tactics” out of frustration because he can’t answer the questions posed by BRS leaders.

“Every time, instead of addressing the failures of the Chief Minister, Bandi Sanjay has done nothing for the people of Karimnagar except hurl empty boasts. As a Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, behaving in a way that undermines peace and security with his own followers is nothing short of mocking democracy.” KTR added

Meanwhile, Kaushik Reddy alleged that the attack was a “heinous plot” hatched by Revanth Reddy and Bandi Sanjay to murder him in Karimnagar.

“Law and order in the state has completely collapsed! Do they attack with sticks and knives right in front of the police? Do they kill you if you question law and order? Is this a democracy or a land of rowdyism? The people themselves will teach a lesson to this anarchic rule!” he said.

Leaders should not resort to personal attacks: Ponnam Prabhakar

Meanwhile, Congress’s Ponnam Prabhakar urged leaders to conduct themselves in a way that upholds the trust of the people who voted for them.

“Leaders must behave with patience. There is no room for personal attacks. It is because some leaders resort to personal criticisms that such situations arise….People’s representatives must behave in a manner befitting democracy. It is not right for the workers of one people’s representative to attack the home of another people’s representative. It is not right to stoop to gutter-level language for the sake of cheap publicity.” the Transport Minister stated in a post on X.

He also urged leaders to keep their party workers in check and prevent them from resorting to violence. “If anyone’s words hurt your mind, you should give a fitting reply, but resorting to attacks is not right. Leaders must keep their workers in check, whoever they may be. They must take disciplinary action against workers who resort to physical attacks and thereby prove their purity of intent.” he added.